Interfolding machine



Aug. 2 1927.

P. ,L fHmsTMAN JR INTER'EOLDING MACHINE Filed Deo. 22, 1926 I5 Sheets-Sheet l Au'g. 2, 1927.

P. .1, CHRISTMAN, .JR

INTERFOLDI NG MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 2y 1927.

P. J. CHRISTMAN, JR

INTERFOLDING MACHINE Filed/nw. 22, 192e s Sheets-sheet 3 Patented Aui A2, 1927.

' UNITED; Ksra'rlszs 1,637,550 PATENT OFFICE.,

PETER JfCHRISTiMAN, JR., OF GREEN BAY, .WISCON SIN, ASSIGNOB T0 PAPER CONVERT- ING MACHINE CO., 0F GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN. l

INTERFOLDING MACHINE.

Application le Deoemb 22, 1926. Serial No. 156,405.

This invention relates to intrfolding 1nachines yand is particularly directed to a ma'- chinel for interfolding sheets of pa er, such as toilet paper, paper towelling, an the like. I Objects ofthis invention are to' provide a novel form of interfolding machine which has a material reduction in the number of parts effective in forming the fold andfsewhichfhas the double function of holding the interfolded' sheets and at the same time,

cooperating with the tucker blades to effect the folding of the sheets.

Further objects are to provide a machine which will interfold paper sheets and hold them in their proper relation both during the actual folding and after the folding has taken place, so that the stack of interfolded sheetsl is prevented from separating and is fed gradually from the machine without` bulgin or misplacement.

Furt er objects are to provide an interfolding machine which has an 'increased capacity as there are fewer parts to accelerate Aand retard in each cycle of operations and which has a single cam shaft and simpler lever mechanism forl actuating both the tucker blades and the movable portion of the holder. Y v

More specifically, this invention has for l its further objects'the provision of an interfolding machine in which al novel form of i holder for the interfolded sheets is used, and

in which the holder' has one of its parts re- 'ciprocated back and forth across the line'ofl feed ofthe paper, so lthat it 'cooperates with one of the tucker blades to form-one of the folds, and moves -out of the way of the other tucker blade to allow such latter tucker blade to cooperate with the other member of the holder to form'the other fold, and to so construct the'holder that the necessity for presser flapsorsimilar' separately actuated members iswholly avoide ofinterfolding machine in which the major portion of the` mechanism is located on one side of the machine, and in which the interfolded sheets are fed from the other unobstructed side ofthe machine.

A further Objectis to provide a novel vform An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the machine corresponding to section on the line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the machine with parts broken away;

Fi re 3 is a detail of a portion of the mova le holder;

Figure 4: is a View drawn to an enlarged scaleshowing the tucker blades, the holders, andthe paper guide, with theparts inone position;

Figure '-5 is a corresponding view showing the parts in another position.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that'the machine comprises apair of side frame members 1, one of which is indicated in Figures 1 and 2,. These members carry a plurality' of transverse shafts, hereinafter described, and are braced by means of chan nel members 2 'and 3, as shown most clearly in Figure 1. Approximately half of the, machine has been illustrated in Figure'Q, and itis to be understood that the machine may Vbe made-as wide as desired. j

The drive for thel machine may be to the main shaft or cam shaft i which extends transversely across the machine. This shaft is geared to other shafts, as indicated generallyA .in Figure 2, so as to impart the requisite speed of rotation to the several shafts. The cam shaft is providedwith a cam 5 and with a cam 6 at opposite ends which are, in turn, equipped with slots or cam grooves 7 'and'8, in which the cam followers or rollers'9 and 10 of the tucker blade armsl 11 and 12 ride'. These tucker blade arms are pivoted, as indicated at 13, and are du licated at opposite ends-of the machine. hey carry tucker blades 14 and 15, respectively, and the cams are so con-` structed that the t'ucker blades are alternately movedinwardly towards the work.

IThe cam shaft 4- also carries a cam 16 (see Figure 2) which is similarly provided with a groove cooperating with the cam follower 17, .such `cam follower being carried by the upper end of alever 18. The lever 18, as may be seen particularly from Figure 1, is lcarried by abracket 19'bolted to' the transverse bracing vmember 2l `The lower end of the lever is slotted and connected by means of a bolt 20. with a link 2l. The slot 'and bolt provide an' adjustable connection so that the throw of the link may be varied, as desired. This link extends to the rock arm 22 of a rock shaft 23. The rock'shaft is provided with a pair of segmental gears 24 adjacent opposite ends thereof, and these gears mesh with racks 25 rigidly carried by the movable' holder 26. This movable holder consists of a plate to which is bolted guiding bars 27, as may be seen particularly from Figure 3. y These guiding bars 27 have the racks 25 bolted on their outer sides, and have plates 28 bolted on their inner sides. rlhe plates 23 carry underhanging Arollers 29 which, asmay be seen from Figure 3, cooperate with stationary guides 30 to prevent the plates 26 from inadvertently being lifted from the stationary guides. The stationary guides and the bars 27 are S aced by means of steel balls 31, such balls sing carried in recesses in the bars 27 and in grooves in the stationary guides 30, as shown most clearly in Figure 1. The movable holder is provided with a lip or tongue extending across its .inner edge from one end to the other, as shown in Figure 1.

A stationary holder 33 is mounted above the helder 26 and is spaced therefrom, This stationary holder is also provided with a lip or tongue 34 extending inwardly towards the inwardly directed tongue-32 and also extending from one end of the upper holder to the other end thereof. This upper holder is bolted to the machine in' any suitable manner, and may, if desired, be positioned directly beneath a transverse' brace 35 of the machine, as shown in Figure 1. The interfolded sheets are stacked -or formed between the holders 26 and 33 in a manner hereinafter described. y

The machine carries a body roller 36 which constitutes the main roller of the machine. The paper is fed over a guiding roller 37 and passes between the main roller 36 and an auxiliary roller 38. The paper is held against the main roller 36 by means of an additional auxiliary roller 39 and passes beneath the` cutterrolll40, such roll being provided with teeth cooperating vwith slots in'the main roller in a well-known manner. Themain roller is grooved at suitable intervals anda series of stripping fingers 41 are positioned in the grooves, such -lingers being carried by suitable rods 42 extending across the machine. `The fingers Vcontinue downwardly and form guides 43 for the paper as -it is stripped from the main roller after having been cut into the Adesired lengths. Y'

Further, a second set ofguiding lingers 44 are position?? spaced ther rom to permit the sheets of paper to pass between sucl lingers in an accurately guided manner. In order to assist the travel of the sheets of paper through the guides and from the main roller after having been stripped therefrom by the adjacent-the fingers 43 andy menace,

fingers 41', a plurality of endless belts 45 are` ously stripped from the main roller and fed downwardly between the guides 43 and 44.

Attention is now directed to Figures 4 and 5 which show the position assumed by the parts during the interfolding operation. 'lhe paper is fed downwardly from the guides 43 and 44 and passes into the space between the stationary and movable holders 33 and 26, as shown in Figure 4, and is tucked by the upper tucker blade 15, the movable holder 26 moving outwardly into the position shown in Figure 4. Thus, the upper tucker blade 15 tucks the paper behind the retaininglip 32 of the movable holder, as shown in Figure 4, while the next4 sheet is being fed into the fold of the paper. Thereafter, the upper tucker blade rises and the lower tucker blade 14 moves upwardly and cooperates with the lip 34 of the station- -ary holder to form the upper fold in they paper. Prior' to the arrival of the lower tucker blade 14, the movable holder 26 has moved outwardly out of the path of the lower tucker blade, so that the parts occupy Y the position shown in Figure 5. The lower tucker blade is thus permitted to.l operate just inside of the lip 34 Aofthe stationary holder and thus produces an upperV fold in the paper. This cycle of operation is rel peated and the stack of interfolded paper is thus formed-'between the holders 26 and 33, such holdersecurely retaining the stack of interfolded sheets against` displacement.

tory motion of the lower holderk is also effec- '10i Further, it is to be noted that the reciprocative in securing a slight step by step out;V

ward feed of the'stacked sheets.

It is tobe particularl noted that the necessity-for auxiliary roc 'ng flaps or presser iiaps and similar members of this l'type are wholly avoided by this invention, as the i holders themselves perform not only their function as holders, but also perform the function of a cooperative member 'for the tucker blades in effecting the folding and in holding the paper at the fold and for a material distance downwardly and upwardly towards the centerof the interfoldedfstaek.

Further, it will be seep that the machine has been very greatly'simplifed as compared with' prior interfolding machines, and Athat the number of moving partsy has been very greatly reduced. The consequence is that the machiney is not only simpler to produce and easier to operate, but may be driven at a. higher rate of speed than prior'machines, as there are fewer parts to accelerate and decelerate during each cycle of operation.

1 :,esmsc of. Further, it 1s to be noted that the majorv portion of the mechanism is located on one side of the machine and that the interfolded paper is fed from a substantially unobstructed portion of the machine.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such invention is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scene of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

l claim:

l. ln an interfolding machine, the combination of `means for successively feeding.

i with the stationary holder to form a second fold, and means for moving' said movable holder out of way of said last mentioned tucker blade. v

2. ln an interfolding machine, the combination of means for successively feeding sheets', 'a movable and a stationary holder .adapted to receive the interfolded sheets and each being provided with a lip, a pair of tucker blades adapted to fold and tuck the sheets from opposite sides behind said lips, and means for moving one of said holders out of the way of one of said tucker blades.

3. ln an interfolding machine, thecoinbination of means for successively foldingr sheets, a airof holders adapted to receive between themselves the interfolded sheets, a pair of tucke'r blades adapted to form folds and tuck the sheets into position between said holders, said tncker blades and one of said holders being locatedv .on 'one side of the line of feed of said sheets, and means for moving the other 0f said holders back and forth across the said line 0f feed. 4. Inail interfolding machine, the combination of means for successively feeding sheets, a pairof holders provided with lips and adapted to receive the interfolded sheets, apair of tucker blades adapted to tuck the sheets back of vsaid-lips, said tricher blades and one of said holders being located on one side. of the line of feed of said sheets, and

means for reciprocating the other of said ioldders back. and 1forth across said line ofl ee l 5'. In an interfolding machine the combination of means forifeeding downwardly a succession of sheets, a pair of plates adapted to receive between themselves the interfolded sheets, each of said plates having an inwardly turned retaining lip and one of said plates being mounted for reciprocation across the line of feed of said sheets, -a pair of tricher blades adapted to rock 'from opposite sides of said plates and tuck the sheets between'said plates, said tucker blades cooper ating with said lips to form folds, and means for causing the reciprocally mounted plate to move bach and forth across the line of feed of said sheetsvr and to thus move out of the way of the tucker blade cooperating with the other plate. f I

6. ln an interfolding machine, the cambi nation of means for successively feeding sheets, an upper holder and a lower reciprocatory holder adapted to receive the interfolded sheets with such interfolded sheets resting upon the lower holder, each of said holders having inwardly directed lips of a width jointly approximating the width of the interfolded sheets, a pair of tucker blades adapted to tuck the sheets into the space between said holders, means for reciprocating the lower of said holders and causing its lip to pass intoipositions in front of and behind the lip of the upper holder, whereby the interfolded sheets are fed outwardly in a step by step manner.

7 In an interfolding machine, the combin nation of a pair of holders having inwardly directed marginal lips, means for successively feeding sheets downwardly towards said holders, an upper and a lower tucker blade adapted 'to tuck the sheets into the space between said holders, said holders act; Y

PETER J. CHRIISTMAN, JR. 

